These Words

Harry and Ron were sitting at the kitchen table of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place playing a game of wizards chess, when suddenly, Ron jumped from the table, sent the chess pieces scattering, and bolted to the front door.

"Will you stop doing that?" Harry said. Ron came back in the room, pouting, and began to pick up the scattered pieces.

"They're going to apparate, anyways," Harry reasoned.

"Yes, but it's been a whole weekend since I've talked to her."

"Get over yourself, Weasley. Take a cold shower, or something."

Ron's ears turned red. He and Hermione had been dating since the end of sixth year, and this being two months later, the relationship was in that stage. The stage where they can't keep their hands off each other, and can't stand to be apart for more than five minutes without having an aneurism.

Ron and Harry cleaned up the game, but resigned to sitting on the couch instead of resuming. Ron sat, staring at the door. Honestly, Harry was anxious as well, to see Ginny again. He had said he couldn't be with her, and he was sticking to his intuition, but it killed him every time he saw her; the way she ran her hand through her hair, her smile.

No, Harry, No. This is for the best.

He loved all of her. Every single bit, from her forehead to her nose, from her lips to her collar bone, from those freckles on her chest to her…

Wow, maybe I need a cold shower.

Then, just as suddenly as Ron had jumped from the table, there was a loud crack, and two familiar girls popped into the room out of thin air.

"Ronniekins!" yelped Hermione.

"Herm—" Ron didn't have a chance to get the word out before Hermione attached herself to his mouth, where she would resign to stay for the next hour or two.

"Do I get that kind of greeting from you?" Ginny said, sarcastically.

"Wow, you look great, Ginny."

That weekend, Hermione and Ginny had spent a girl's weekend in a muggle spa, where Hermione's mum had once taken her. It had treated them both well. Ginny was positively glowing. Hermione, very shockingly, had straight hair. Her bushiness was gone, and what was left was sleek brown locks, which were being tangled at the moment by Ron's wandering hands.

"Thank you. Can you help me bring these upstairs?" Ginny said.

Harry took Hermione's bag, and Ginny took her own. Ron and Hermione were sharing a bedroom, and Ginny and Harry were not. Ginny took her bag to her room, and Harry took Hermione's and threw it on her bed.

She really does look amazing.

Harry shook his head at his inability to control his feelings, and went downstairs, passing by two indistinguishable bodies writhing on the couch, and sat at the kitchen table. Minutes later, Ginny emerged, wearing her nightgown (Which, Harry noticed, was different from when she was last here. Slinkier, if he did say so himself.), and sat across from him.

"I hope they have enough oxygen," she said, and smirked.

"They're used to it. And I do believe that we went for, what was it, three hours straight one Saturday afternoon last year?"

"Aha, the infamous three hours."

There was an uncomfortable silence, which could only come after someone brings up their past relationship.

"I miss that, Harry." Ginny said, tears forming.

"I know, I do too. But it's better this way."

"How is it better? How is it better that you're breaking my heart?" Now, there were tears streaming down her face.

"I don't want Voldemort to know I'm attached to you. You mean too much to me."

"I am going to fight next to you against him even if we're going out or not, and you know that."

"I just couldn't stand it if he killed you."

"Believe me, what you're doing to me now is killing me faster than anything he could ever do."

With that, she bolted out of the room, sobbing. Even Ron and Hermione dislodged from each other (and with it, came a large squelching noise), to see what was going on. Seeing Ginny running upstairs, and Harry's face, they knew what had happened. It had only happened every week since the four had moved into Sirius' old house a month ago. They knew they're places, so Hermione ran upstairs to comfort Ginny, and Ron came over to Harry.

"Not again, mate," Ron said, a look of pity on his face.

"I know. I can't help it, I know what I'm doing is right, and I know she'll never be able to forgive me for it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, Harry, I have to tell you something."

"Ron, you know what, I just want to lie down now, okay?"

"Hermione and I have been talking."

"Shocker. All I thought you did was snog," Harry said, striding over to the couch.

"Harry, I'm being serious."

"I'm all ears, Ronniekins," Harry sat on the couch and made a look of feigned interest. All he really wanted to do right now was sleep, or have a cup of tea.

"We think you're being ridiculous—"

"What? What?"

"Let me finish. We think it's ridiculous that you won't go out with Ginny. We see the way you look at her. We see they way she looks at you, and we both know it's rubbish that you're afraid of what You-Know-Who might do to them. If you were that afraid of You-Know-Who getting close to people you love, you would have become a hermit a while ago."

"You don't know anything. You and Hermione don't have this problem."

"Um, excuse me? We're best friends with you, Harry. We've had this problem since first year, mate."

"No! You haven't! Voldemort is after me, and only me. And I know he will go through all of you guys to get to me, and that means doing whatever it takes. I couldn't stand it if you two got hurt, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if Ginny did."

"Obviously you are crazy about her, and you heard her, she is going to fight with you whether you choose to accept that you are made for each other, or not. It's your choice, Harry, and I hope you make the right one."

Harry got up and strode out of the room. "Goodnight, Ron."

"She loves you too, Harry!" Ron said, in a last-ditch attempt to get Harry to come to his senses.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Ginny was sobbing on her pillow and Hermione was rubbing her back, saying things that were hopefully making her feel better.

"Ginny, he will come to his senses. He loves you, I know by the way he looks at you, by the way his eyes light up when you enter a room, the way he looked at you after you came back today. He complemented you, even!"

Suddenly, Ginny sat up straight, and got a severe look in her eyes. "Know what?" Ginny said, angrily. "I am going to hex that boy so bad that he won't be able to see straight." She began to get up, but Hermione grabbed her and put her back on the bed.

"That's not going to fix anything, Gin."

"I know. Damn, what do I do? I'm… I'm going to take a walk."

"Want me to join you?"

"No, thanks. I just need to be alone with my thoughts, and maybe think of ways to curse Harry."

She left, unseen, and started down the alley. She didn't know where she was going, but she was going to walk until her head was clear, or she had any idea of what to try next.

Downstairs, Ron had fallen asleep on the couch, and was snoring loudly. Harry made himself a cup of tea, and after he finished, he turned all the lights off in the house, said "Lumos!" quietly, and headed up to bed. But instead of entering his room, he knocked lightly on Ginny's door. When there was no answer, he said "Nox!" and entered the room. He felt his way to the bed, and feeling the heat from a body, knew Ginny was there. He lay down on the bed next to her, and felt for her face. He held her, and then kissed her. When she kissed back, he knew she was awake, and they stayed like that for an hour. He ran his hands through her hair, so silky soft, and he held her close. Afterwards, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, Harry woke up to an empty bed. He felt extremely satisfied, and during Ginny and Harry's reunion last night, he had made a decision. He had decided to screw his intuition, and he and Ginny would resume their whirlwind relationship, hopefully right where it left off. Full of hope, he got up from the bed, still dressed in the clothes from the night before, and went to the kitchen.

When he got there, something was wrong. Hermione was pacing, muttering to herself, making furtive glances at the still sleeping Ron. Ginny was nowhere to be found, and Harry was disappointed. He had wanted to tell her first thing that he was ready to be with her.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

Hermione just shook her head, and resumed pacing.

"Hermione, I have something to tell you." She froze. "Ginny and I are finally going to get back together. I've seen how stupid I've been, and I'm ready to be with her. We… er... had a little rendezvous last night."

"You and Ginny? Had a rendezvous?"

"Yes."

"WHAT!" She had screamed so loud that Ron had awoken with a start, and wiping the drool off his face, walked up and put an arm around Hermione's waist.

"Not now, Ron. Go, make… some tea, for us, please, honey?" Hermione said, sweetly.

"Sure thing." Ron said, and headed for the kitchen.

"Where is Ginny, by the way? I want to tell her." Harry said.

"Okay, so you know how you said you were with Ginny last night?" Hermione said, her tone much less sweet.

"Yes, and where is she?"

"Well, after you and Ginny fought, she ran up to her room and I went to console her. She said she wanted to go for a walk, so I was going to wait for her until she got back, so I lay down on her bed. I must have dozed off."

"Okay, whatever. I want to talk to Ginny."

"Harry, you don't understand. Ginny didn't come back to her bed. Ginny wasn't the one you rendezvoused with last night. That was me."

"WHAT!" This time, he had screamed so loud that they heard a shatter from the kitchen. Obviously, Ron had dropped something. He came running into the room.

"What, what? What's going on?"

Harry had gone and sat on the couch, and was hyperventilating slightly.

"What's up with Harry? Had another fight with Ginny?" Ron asked.

"No, something different. There's something I need to tell you, Ron." Hermione said, leading him into the kitchen. She told him about how Harry and mistaken her for Ginny, and how she had mistaken him for Ron.

"WHAT!" He said, but nothing broke this time. He was so angry, every single part of his face was beet red.

"Ron, it was a mistake. An accident. It meant nothing to either of us!"

"Oh… Harry… You... Kissing… I mean… Two… On a bed!... HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW IT WAS ME!"

"It was dark Ron, I couldn't see a thing!"

"Well, you've snogged me enough, you should have know!"

"Well, Harry didn't know either. I think it's the hair. Maybe I should give back my straightener. It takes up a lot of room, anyways, and I'm afraid my hair is ---"

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR TALK ABOUT YOUR HAIR!" Ron bellowed.

"Well, I'm sorry. I really am, I can't tell you how sorry I am. But it was a mistake, and there is nothing I can do about it."

"Oh yes there is." Ron, still extremely angry, ran into where Harry was still breathing heavily. When Harry looked at Ron's face, he knew exactly what had happened. Knowing Ron, and knowing he was by no means going to hex him, but was going to get this over with brute force (and knowing Ron had a better right hook than he), Harry bolted for the door. He ran out into the street and Ron came following. Ron was practically a giant strawberry, he was so red. Hermione came next, looking worried and upset. Ron tackled Harry and punched him so hard that his nose started to bleed. Harry fought back, punching, tearing, and doing whatever he could to overwhelm Ron. It wasn't working, and the fight only ended when a voice said "PetrificusTotalus!" and Ron became dead still. Harry rolled Ron's stiff body off him, and got up, brushing off the asphalt from his clothes. He was bleeding in no less than six places, but was still angry at Hermione for stopping the fight.

"I was handling it, Hermione!"

"That wasn't me, Harry."

"It was me," a voice said behind him.

Harry whirled around, and faced Ginny. Ginny, the girl he loved. Ginny, the girl he thought he had kissed last night. Did she know?

Reading his mind, Ginny said, "Yes, I know. Hermione told me. And I forgive you. Oh, and Episkey!"

Harry's nose was healed, and, knowing he was no longer bleeding from his face, somewhat attacked Ginny. He grabbed her by the waist, and she didn't seem surprised. In fact, she looked more relieved than anything. He pulled her close, ran his hands through that silky soft hair and kissed her, hard. It was the best kiss either of them had had in their lifetimes, and they didn't come up for air until minutes later.

"Want to break that three hour record?"